Every Builder Should Attend Tech Week at Least Once
by•
Last week I attended Tech Week for the first time in my city and had a great time!
I was surprised by how much value came from conversations that weren't planned.
It feels that in a world accelerated and misconstrued by technology, the best way to establish trust is often to meet face-to-face.
For those who regularly attend Tech Weeks, startup events, or hackathons:
How do you measure whether an event was worth your time?
What's the most valuable opportunity you've gained from one?
What recent event did you enjoy in particular and why?
Curious to hear other people's experiences.
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Replies
completly agree. Every time I attend events like Tech Week, I walk away with new ideas, fresh connections, and a broader perspective on building.
@shawn_idrees I haven't attended Tech Week yet, but hearing experiences from founders and builders who have makes me feel like it's worth adding to my list
Jots
@shawn_idrees great to hear!
@new_user___090202674ab6e030a7a9c52 you definitely should!
the unplanned conversations thing is so true. the best ones always happen in hallways or after sessions, never during the scheduled networking slot.
people might call me crazy but i'm literally relocating to a city with more of these events. that's how much i believe in the value of showing up in person. there's a gap that no amount of twitter spaces or zoom calls fills.
haven't attended a tech week yet but soon. what's the one thing you wish you'd known before your first one?
Jots
I completely understand your motivation behind the moving.
I suggest having a project to showcase and/or seek validation for. It's an opportunity to put your product out there.
@avz that's makes sense. i think this can be a good starting point of even initiating conversations. thank you.
Haven't been to one yet but this is on my list. Your point about unplanned conversations tracks - every time I've gotten real value from a networking situation it came from someone I wasn't expecting to talk to.
On measuring worth: I'd probably use "did I leave with at least one relationship I actually follow up with?" as my benchmark. Anything less than that and it was just a good day out.
Working nights and building on my days off makes in-person events tough to justify right now, but hearing that the hallway conversations beat the panels is exactly what I needed to hear. Might have to rearrange the schedule for the next one.
Jots
@antwon_randolph2 I would say it is a good opportunity to spark conversation and especially validate concepts you are currently building.
Networking should be intentional as you mention, otherwise it can be a misuse of time if you don't leverage any connections you made by following up.
@avz The concept validation piece is what I keep sleeping on. You can build in isolation for months and convince yourself you're on the right track - talking to the right people in a room for one afternoon probably does more than 3 months of guessing.
And the follow-up point is real. Most people collect contacts like trophies and never do anything with them. Intentional is the right word for it.